In a substrate processing apparatus that performs a predetermined processing on a substrate such as, for example, a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, simply referred to as “wafer”), an electric actuator is used when moving the wafer linearly within the substrate processing apparatus.
FIGS. 8A to 8C are views schematically illustrating a configuration of a conventional electric actuator used in a substrate processing apparatus in which FIG. 8A is a front view, FIG. 8B is a bottom view, and FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in FIG. 8A.
In the electric actuator 80, a planar slider 82 is moved along the lengthwise direction of a body 81 of the electric actuator 80 which is formed in an elongated rectangular parallelepiped shape, in a reciprocating manner as indicated white arrows in the drawings. The slider 82 is joined to a guide 84 through a bracket 85 and the guide 84 is engaged with a rail 83 arranged within the body 81. When the guide 84 is driven along the rail 83 by a belt 86, the slider 82 is moved together with the guide 84. The slider 82 is formed with a plurality of screw holes 87 and a pick (not illustrated) on which, for example, a wafer is placed is attached to the slider 82 by screwing clamping screws (not illustrated) to the respective screw holes 87. The wafer is moved by moving the slider 82.
An opening 88 is formed in a side surface of the body 81 of the electric actuator 80 along the lengthwise direction of the body 81 in order to enable the slider 82 or the bracket 85 to move along the lengthwise direction of the body 81. However, a greater part of the opening 88 is covered by a dust seal band 89. The dust seal band 89 prevents particles generated by friction when the guide 84 is driven on the rail 83 from being released to the outside of the body 81. See, for example, Non-Patent Document 1.